Affiliation:
1. SULEYMAN DEMIREL UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Abstract
Objective
Coronary artery disease (CAD) ranks first in mortality
and morbidity in the World. Physicians' high level of
knowledge, skills, and awareness on this subject
is essential in the fight against this chronic disease.
This study aimed to determine the knowledge and
awareness levels of physician candidates about
CAD and to contribute to the areas that need to be
developed after the survey.
Material and Method
This cross-sectional and descriptive study was
conducted on 600 students from the 4th and 5th
grades of Suleyman Demirel University Faculty of
Medicine between April 1, 2022, and May 1, 2022. The
questionnaire that measured the level of knowledge
and awareness about CAD was administered through
social media communication networks or face-to-face.
Results
Of the 348 participants included in our study, 200
(57.5%) were women. The mean age of the participants
was 23.14±1.1, their average weight was 68.6±
10.7, and their average height was 169.73± 12.7.
Of the students who participated in the survey, 223
(65%) were fifth-grade students, and 125 (35%) were
fourth-grade students. Of the students, 314 (90%)
completed their cardiology internship. When we asked
the participants to rate their level of knowledge about
CAD between 1 and 5, 48.2% of the participants gave
3 points to their knowledge level. In addition, 74.7%
(n=260) of the students who participated in the survey
know that troponin I is the most specific marker in
myocardial ischemia. 52.2% (n=182) marked smoking
as the question of which lifestyle changes the most
in the follow-up of CAD and gave the correct answer.
When they surveyed the life-saving treatment in CAD,
24.4% (n=85) of the study population gave the correct
answer by marking the stent implantation option. This
response was followed by the fast-acting nitrate option
with 36.2% (n=126).
Conclusion
As a result, increasing the knowledge and awareness
of the faculty of medical students about CAD is
important for the fight against CAD, and this study
contributed to the determination of the missing points.
Publisher
Medical Journal of Suleyman Demirel University
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